I had no idea that SEIU as so involved in the faux grassroots parents' group formed to push charter schools and discredit public schools.
The Perimeter Primate at her Broad Report covers the connections well.
Connections between Eli Broad, the Parent Union (aka Parent Revolution, the creators of the "Parent Trigger"), and Green DotOriginally conceived in Los Angeles by Steve Barr’s (of Green Dot) Los Angeles Parents Union, and largely funded by the Broad Foundation, the "Parent Trigger" has spread east, and here and here. This is an initiative where if enough parents can be convinced, pressured, and tricked to sign a petition, a school will be closed down and replaced with a charter. On each Form 990 from 2005 to 2008, Steve Barr is listed as the CEO/President of the LAPU board.
Eli Broad contributed nearly 50% of the funding for the launch of the LAPU (formerly the Small Schools Alliance, aka the Parent Revolution). The money he supplied helped pay for the propaganda to make it seem like the movement is being generated by "the people," when in fact it is a carefully planned, targeted marketing campaign designed to wipe out the public schools.
The most important thing to know is that this organization is not grassroots; it's astroturf!
In fact it was found that Green Dot charter schools were paying parents
to sign their petition.That is not true grassroots at all.
Maria Guadalupe Mena of Garfield High School: "Community members stated they were offered monetary compensation (by Green Dot) in exchange for their signature on a petition."
The Parent Revolution group Ms. Mena refers to is also known as the Los Angeles Parents Union, and is a descendant of a Green Dot “project” called the Small Schools Alliance.
Here is more from
The Broad Report about how SEIU was doing its share in forming this astroturf group which was not grassroots at all.
QUESTION: What is the relationship between SEIU, Broad, and the Parent Revolution?
A presentation delivered at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform sponsored 2008 Emerging Knowledge Forum was called “Green Dot Public Schools & LA Parents Union.” The presentation team consisted of Steve Barr (Founder & CEO, Green Dot Public Schools), Sandy Blazer (Chief Academic Officer, Green Dot Public Schools), Christine Boardman, (President, Service Employees International Union, Local 73), and Ryan Smith (Executive Director, LA Parents Union). This is from their accompanying report.
“Steve Barr noticed that at one of Green Dots’ high schools, a large proportion of students has parents who were members of Local 1877 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). From this observation, a partnership evolved between Green Dot and SEIU’s national organization, as well as its Los Angeles affiliate. While most professional unions have opposed charter schools, SEIU has embraced LAPU’s reform agenda because their members’ children are the main victims of failing urban schools. For almost a year, SEIU has formally worked with Green Dot and LAPU, providing LAPU with both funding and technical assistance from experienced organizers. In turn, SEIU is interested in exploring how Green Dot’s model and LAPU’s organizing efforts can drive school reform in other urban districts across the country.”Mike Garcia, President, Service Employees International Union Local 1877, is currently listed as a member of
Green Dot’s board of directors. Teacher union members beware: the SEIU is not your friend
Here is more about what might happen in CA with public schools being turned over to outside bidders...nearly 250 of them. I don't know if that has changed, but I know that a union should not be so involved in this movement to harm public schools.
Up to 250 public schools to be turned over to outside bidders? Called a hostile takeover.Parents Revolution and Green Dot
One place to start looking at the tremendous growth of these seemingly grass-root groups of parents is in the city of Los Angeles where not only 250 schools have been given the bums rush out of the corridors of public management, but they are due to be thrown into the laps of non-profit outfits like Green Dot Public Schools or Alliance Public Schools, to name just a few. It is truly astounding, for in the case of the non-profit school systems that are emerging, these non-profit EMO’s are bent on creating a new, national retail chain of charter schools with outlets in as many states and school districts they can possibly get their hands on and their tactics are not unlike the ‘grass-root’ town hall health care meetings.
Take the group "Parents Union". Steve Barr, the originator of Green Dot Public Schools, a non-profit EMO out of LA, started Parent Union in Los Angeles a few years ago. According to a document put out by Green Dot in 2008 entitled, Green Dot Public Schools & Los Angeles Parents Union the company said they realized the urban school failure and:
Green Dot responded to this grassroots demand for change by saying, in effect, it’s not that you want a charter school per se, you simply want – and deserve – a high-quality school for the young people in your neighborhoods. Recognizing the need for parents to organize and work collectively to demand high-quality education, Green Dot formed the Los Angeles Parents Union (lapu), a citywide grassroots organization of parents that pushes educators, administrators, and public officials to improve their schools (Green Dot Public Schools & Los Angeles Parents Union, 2008
It's easier to organize when you have corporate big money behind you...much easier than it is to do so as public school parents and teachers. There is no money behind you, there is no media presenting your cause. Little of the information about these issues of hostile takeovers of schools by outside bidders is available on the mainstream news. Most of it is from bloggers, and there is indeed very litte of that.